Okbo Lover

Lina is just like any other fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl in 1941. She paints, she draws, she gets crushes on boys. Until one night when Soviet officers barge into her home, tearing her family from the comfortable life they’ve known. Separated from her father, forced onto a crowded and dirty train car, Lina, her mother, and her young brother slowly make their way north, crossing the Arctic Circle, to a work camp in the coldest reaches of Siberia. Here they are forced, under Stalin’s orders, to dig for beets and fight for their lives under the cruelest of conditions.

Lina finds solace in her art, meticulously – and at great risk – documenting events by drawing, hoping these messages will make their way to her father’s prison camp to let him know they are still alive. It is a long and harrowing journey, spanning years and covering 6,500 miles, but it is through incredible strength, love, and hope that Lina ultimately survives.Between Shades of Gray is a novel that will steal your breath and capture your heart. (From Goodreads)

What I liked the most about this book is although it focuses on World War II, it’s from a different perspective than what most readers are used to when reading something from this particular era in history. I think that although learning and reading about the Holocaust is important, let’s not forget other tragic incidents that also happened during this time frame as those victims should not be forgotten as well. Personally, I have not found many fictional accounts concerning this time frame (and geared towards younger readers) and I am hoping Between Shades of Gray will be the one that will open the doors to a lot of readers on this particular subject. For one thing, it’s good to know and good to let others be aware of this moment in history. Also, it’s good because it sets the stage for other writers to write about this subject.

This book has the most beautiful writing I have ever read so far. It’s beautiful, yet at the same time, it’s sad and the sense of loneliness, isolation, and helplessness is felt all throughout the book. It certainly does feel as if Lina and all the rest of the prisoners have indeed been forgotten by the world – considering they’re placed in a camp in literally what looks to be in the middle of nowhere. What’s ironic is they’re labeled as thieves and prostitutes, and some of the prisoners have actually become that way as a means of survival. Lina and her mother are major beacons of hope throughout the story and it’s through their unbelievable strength that they attempt to survive through this ordeal.

What I also liked about the book is the several flashbacks Lina has, to contrast between how she lived before she gets taken and arrested. They almost seem trivial compared to what she goes through in the camp. When Lina finds love in the camp, it’s what propels her to survive through this moment in her life. I thought Lina’s relationship with Andrius was the main reason why she kept hanging on. Although she had plenty of courage to show, she needed something else to cling on so she won’t lose hope.

It’s a bleak story, and gets worse later as the book progresses. The writing in this novel is excellent and makes the reader feel what Lina feels, the detail in the setting and atmosphere is well done and also adds to the feeling of the book. It’s not until literally, the last few pages of the book where Lina’s outcome is revealed, and leaves the reader with the feeling of hope, however with a melancholy feeling to it as well.

One of the best books I’ve read so far this year, I greatly recommend reading this. The writing is beautiful, and the story although tragic, focuses on Lina’s strength to survive and shows how courageous and hopeful one can be while enduring awful horrible events such as the one Lina went through herself.It’s definitely not a subject for everyone to read, however it’s not one to forget either.

I give it a 10 out of 10

 It is recommended you read Incarceron before jumping into Sapphique. HEAVILY recommended. I’m not even sure if it’s possible to read this one before Incarceron. You’ll just end up being more confused.

Finn has escaped from the terrible living Prison of Incarceron, but its memory torments him, because his brother Keiro is still inside. Outside, Claudia insists he must be king, but Finn doubts even his own identity. Is he the lost prince Giles? Or are his memories no more than another construct of his imprisonment? And can you be free if your friends are still captive? Can you be free if your world is frozen in time? Can you be free if you don’t even know who you are? Inside Incarceron, has the crazy sorcerer Rix really found the Glove of Sapphique, the only man the Prison ever loved. Sapphique, whose image fires Incarceron with the desire to escape its own nature. If Keiro steals the glove, will he bring destruction to the world? Inside. Outside. All seeking freedom. Like Sapphique. (From Goodreads).

I’d have to say this book was a much better improvement than Incarceron. There was more action, the pace was quicker, and the intrigue was turned up a little higher to get the plot rolling. The action did make the novel go quicker although I preferred reading more about Keiro and Attia than Claudia and Finn. Although I used to like Claudia before, she seemed to morph into some sort of selfish spoiled brat who didn’t care much except her own needs. Finn also turned into a mopey brat that cared only for Keiro (which makes sense, but it was borderline obsessive.)

Despite the negative comments I see about Keiro (thoughout different websites reviewing Sapphique), I’d have to say he was my favorite character in this book. (Besides Jared). He had this undeniable charm and despite being a selfish, egotistical jerk, he wasn’t whiny and did not mope around like a twit. Although the majority of his actions were all to meet his own ends and he’s just as selfish as Claudia might be, there’s just something charming about Keiro that’s likable. I thought he was an excellent character despite his ‘supporting’ status. Finn may seem central to the plot, but he doesn’t shine as much as Keiro does.

There are different points of view in the story, unlike Incarceron where it switched from Claudia to Finn. Now, there a different points of view but this time it switches settings. (From being inside Incarceron, to being outside of it). It’s not so bad, although some readers may find it a bit confusing, and the flow of the plot does get bumpy once in a while. The ending of the book was interesting and does leave a lot of room for another installment. I wouldn’t mind a trilogy, as the story has taken a turn for the more exciting. I’d actually like to know what happens to Keiro next as he looks like he could be a catalyst for something big.

It was a great ending to the duology (although it looks like there might be a third?) and worth the read. The action helps the plot carry forward and makes the reading go faster. Some might be daunted by the task of reading another ‘chunky’ book. However with the fast pace, the action, and the bits of intrigue, reading this shouldn’t take long at all.

I give it an 8 out of 10.

 First I’d have to say, isn’t the cover of this book ABSOLUTELY LOVELY? one of the best covers I have seen so far!

All Airel ever wanted to be was normal, to disappear into the crowd. But bloodlines can produce surprises, like sudden mysterious illness. Then there’s Michael Alexander, the new guy in school, who is impossibly gorgeous…and captivated by her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she can hear the sound of pages turning, and another, older story being written. It is the story of an ancient family, of great warriors, of the Sword of Light, and the struggle against an evil so terrible, so far-reaching, that it threatens everything she hopes for even now. Airel knew change would be inevitable as life went on. But can she hold on when murder and darkness begin to close in and take away everything she loves? Will she have what it takes when the truth is finally revealed? (From Pump Up Your book tour page)

It was certainly a very interesting book, and had a lot of potential. I liked Airel. She had a very lively personality and seemed very likable from the start. Her comments and thoughts were at times, funny and witty. Plus the mystery behind the murder with Airel stuck in the middle was also quite interesting as well.

So, for me, the first third of the book was pretty good. Then we hit the parts taking place way back in ancient history in Arabia. Ok, I was able to read this. At first it was very awkward, but trying to find the connection was difficult as not many clues were given and you’re wondering what the heck does this have to do with Airel in the first place. I didn’t mind reading about Kreios. It certainly had a really good historical fantasy feel to it. There’s plenty of action in this part, but I can’t help but feel that sometimes it was a bit dry, and dragged through.

Then Airel meets Michael Alexander. They do seem to make a cute couple but their feelings between them just seem so artificial and you often stop and wonder if teens really act that way when they’re going out. From other young adult books I’ve read, Airel and Michael just don’t fit that mold. They just seem a little, well too perfect, and cliche. Although Michael does seem to be every girl’s dream come true for a boyfriend, there’s just something so robotic about him and you think to yourself; ‘wait a minute, guys don’t act like that!’ so even though it might have been nice to read about a couple that may act totally out of the norm, at least give it some realistic edges a bit, it just can’t be all rosy and lovey dovey all the time they’re together.

The ending took me by surprise, and thought it was a very interesting twist. However I just felt that to get to that great ending, I had to read through endless pages of plot that just did not sit well with me. It was a bit dry, and at times I thought, just a bit preachy when it came to learning where Airel was really from.

I think I’ll pass on this series. I felt bogged down by reading this and was forcing myself to finish. Although the ending felt like a great reward to putting up with the hundreds of pages of rather dry plot, I think although it had great ideas and plot elements, the whole putting it together could have been much better.

I give it a 4 out of 10.

Today’s Hop  question is:

What’s the ONE GENRE that you wish you could get into, but just can’t?

- That I wish to get into? hmmm…I have to stop and think about this for a moment. Ah! I got it!

Plain Ol’ contemporary/literary fiction. Things like the hombre likes to read; books by Irvine Welsh for example, or Camus. I tried. I’m talking about adult contemporary fiction not YA (which I can read just fine). There’s just something about it that I can’t seem to get into. If I do like some of them, they’re very few and far between. Why? I’m not sure but in the past the ones I’ve tried reading I found the writing very flowery, almost like poetry, dry and boring. It’s almost like reading a book that school is forcing you to read. It take a while to read, and by the end of it you’re brain dead and have to take a breather from reading because the brain hurts. I could give a real proper example but I seriously can’t think of one.

Today’s post comes with gazpacho for those hot summer days! feel free to grab some!! thanks for stopping by!

17 year-old Kelley Winslow doesn’t believe in Faeries. Not unless they’re the kind that you find in a theatre, spouting Shakespeare—the kind that Kelley so desperately wishes she could be: onstage, under lights, with a pair of sparkly wings strapped to her shoulders. But as the understudy in a two-bit, hopelessly off-off-Broadway production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, wishing is probably the closest she’s going to get to becoming a Faerie Queen. At least, that’s what she thinks… In this fun, urban fantasy, Kelley’s off-stage life suddenly becomes as complicated as one of Shakespeare’s plot twists when a nighttime trip to Central Park holds more than meets the mortal eye. (From Goodreads)

Normally I shy away from books about faeries. They’re the least favorite of the paranormal beings that I like to read about. I’m not sure why but I’m just not interested in them. Yet when I finished Wondrous Strange, suddenly my interest in faeries has skyrocketed all because of this single book.

What can I say, except that I absolutely LOVED this book. Everything about it was so fantastic! I loved the characters, the whole story, and the references to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It might help if the reader is familiar with the play in the first place, but a simple read through in wikipedia might help to those not wanting to read any Shakespeare.

I’d have to say Kelley is a wonderful character to read. She might seem meek and mild in the beginning but when Sonny comes around to annoy her Kelley gets all riled up and shows her angry side. It was absolutely fun to read, she does have a certain spark and some chemistry between herself and Sonny. I like them both as characters. I also liked Auberon. Yes, he wasn’t the most nicest person and was a backstabbing bastage, but there was an aura of suave and calm collected coolness that just emanated from him whenever he came around. You just couldn’t help but feel some sort of attraction to him despite his aloof behavior. One can also not forget Lucky, even though it was a horse, it was still a wonderful silent sidekick. Bob was also unforgettable, who even though he was mischievous, he was an excellent supporting character too.

The story is also a great read, I liked the idea of Sonny and his gang being tasked with protecting the gate so the Otherworld faeries don’t come in to create mischief or run amok. When things do run amok, the descriptions of what was happening, of bad trickster faeries creating chaos all over the city was just an eye opening read. I just had to keep going I could not stop reading unless I absolutely had to. There were plenty of twists and turns throughout the novel and it provides for much of the excitement. Overall it provided some real interesting and fun reading.

I am definitely grabbing the second book of this series! I can’t want to see what happens! there’s so much Kelley has to look forward to (and has a lot to learn!) I’m so glad I picked this book up. I give it full credit for getting me back into the world of faeries and fully enjoying it. I definitely recommend this to other YA readers and those that love anything to do with faeries and A Midsummer Night’s Dream!

I give it a 10 out of 10!

Today’s question is: How/Where do you get your books? Do you buy them or go to the library? Is there a certain website you use like paperbackswap?

- OoooOooooo I like this question! I get my books from all sorts of places! besides getting them by request, I also get them via:

- library

- thrift store

- the indie book store at the mall closest to my place

- amazon when I can’t find it anywhere else.

It’s mostly the thrift store though, as sometimes I get lucky and find the books I had on my wishlist!

I don’t do paperbackswap as there’s barely a site that suites residents of Canada. Plus, well..shipping is expensive for this sort of thing …..

So what did you answer? here! have some gnocchi with spaghetti sauce. mmmmm… Thanks for stopping by!

 Sixteen-year-old Cara Lange has been a loner ever since she moved away from her best and only friend, Zoe, years ago. She eats lunch with the other girls from the track team, but they’re not really her friends. Mostly she spends her time watching Ethan Gray from a distance, wishing he would finally notice her, and avoiding the popular girls who call her “Choker” after a humiliating incident in the cafeteria. Then one day Cara comes home to find Zoe waiting for her. Zoe’s on the run from problems at home, and Cara agrees to help her hide. With her best friend back, Cara’s life changes overnight. Zoe gives her a new look and new confidence, and next thing she knows, she’s getting invited to parties and flirting with Ethan. Best of all, she has her BFF there to confide in. But just as quickly as Cara’s life came together, it starts to unravel. A girl goes missing in her town, and everyone is a suspect—including Ethan. Worse still, Zoe starts behaving strangely, and Cara begins to wonder what exactly her friend does all day when she’s at school. You’re supposed to trust your best friend no matter what, but what if she turns into a total stranger? (From Goodreads)

The book started out all right. I hated what the other girls did to Cara. They were awful and despicable. So, I did sympathize with her. For a while. Then she just got to me. She just seemed so, weak and a pushover at times. You couldn’t help but get frustrated at her sometimes. When Zoe comes in, she does take an interesting personality change and Zoe is partly responsible for that. However, as the plot wore on, I rather guessed what was going on, and the underlying secret. I am not sure if the big secret was obvious to other readers who have read this book, but I did figure it out when Zoe starts to have a more prominent place in the story.

Although it started off rather interesting, I could not help but lose interest. It was predictable, and Cara as a character just did improve and I stopped liking her. I felt sorry for her, but she didn’t make herself likable at all. It came to the point where you can’t feel sorry for her anymore she just became so…pathetic. She did manage to grow a spine, but it would shrink rapidly as well.

Another thing I did not take kindly to was the animal cruelty mentioned in the book. It was horrible to read and to me, unnecessary. It was already evident that Zoe and Cara aren’t really all “there” so I don’t see why there had to be any mentioning of any animals being killed. The ending, well it was predictable, therefore it wasn’t that exciting or a complete revelation to read. I thought there could have been more to the book.

It’s not a book I would recommend, I would say take it or leave it. I’ve read much better than this. It’s predictable, and by the time you finished the book you find it lacking in something, perhaps a new twist should have been brought in, or something that would have brought the plot to a more interesting level.

I give it a 6 out of 10.

It’s recommended you read The Lens and the Looker before this one.

What could go wrong in the 14th-century
for three time-traveling teens?
How about – EVERYTHING!

Hansum, Shamira and Lincoln, three teens from the 24th-century, are trapped in 14th-century Verona, Italy. They’ve survived many deadly experiences by keeping their wits about them and by introducing futuristic technology into the past. Principal among these inventions is the telescope, which brought them to the attention to the rich and powerful.

But standing out can get you into unexpected and dangerous situations. The nobles of Verona now believe Hansum is a savant, a genius inventor, especially after he brings them plans for advanced cannons and black powder. Being the center of attention is great, but the potential for trouble is now exponentially greater because people are watching Hansum’s every move.

Meanwhile, artistic genius Shamira has fallen for a Florentine artist with bloody and disasterous consequences. Lincoln, considered an incompetent back home in the 24th-century, has blossomed – at least until he’s shot in the head with an arrow. And Hansum, after secretly marrying his new master’s beautiful daughter, Guilietta, is offered the hand in marriage of lady Beatrice, daughter of the ruler of Verona. To refuse could mean calamity for all the teens.

Amazingly, none of this is their biggest challenge. Because a rash illness is spreading across Verona – and it is threatening to consume everyone.

Do they have a future in this past?
(From Goodreads)

I was looking forward to reading this one after finishing the first book. I wanted to know what was going to happen to the three. Although it was good, and the ending made me want to scream, I thought the book could have been a bit better.

The plot was still well done, and although it focuses a lot more on Hansum again, Shamira has now her own storyline (it’s a short one, unfortunately) and Lincoln still has a small role – I wished he was more into this book, he’s fun to read and adds more life to the book because of his personality. I think, if he was paired up with Hansum from the start, the plot could have taken a different twist, but also would have been a much more enjoyable read.

Not to say I didn’t like Hansum, although I’d rather started disliking him towards the second half of the book when he started to turn a 360 and started to act like a jerk. It’s understandable, since all he wants to do is work but also spend his life with Guilietta (which seems to be extremely difficult to do, and you can feel his frustration). However it’s good to see all three characters have maintained their maturity and their character development in this book is very well done and well written.

What I enjoyed the most was the rich historical detail this book had. It certainly looked like there was a lot of work put into this so the reader will experience a much more authentic setting and it’s a well done job. From the characters clothing, to what they eat, and to what they use in everyday life is set in fine detail.

As mentioned before, this book could have been better. I thought it dragged a bit in certain areas. Although it’s interesting on how the making of gunpowder is made, and how a cannon is constructed, this is where the detail is just so minute it feels like you’re reading a textbook on “Life and Times in Historical Italy” than anything else. It might be interesting to some readers but for those that just want to get to the action, this part of the book is slow and can get dry. To me it felt like there were endless pages on how the construction was done, and I had to put the book down several times to slap myself awake. As much as I love detail and the fine parts, this was just too much for me.

Also although the target audience is for young adults there is a level of violence and language that may not be so good for younger readers. Plus there is some content that could be questionable. There was one particular violent moment involving a donkey and I’m still wondering why Hansum needed to do this to prove a point. It’s certainly uncharacteristic of him and I wonder if that was even necessary.

The ending of the book was good as it felt like the action was all saved for the last few pages. It was an intense emotional roller coaster. The reader will be stunned, sad, angry, and relieved. All in just a few pages. That those few pages got me to feel this way in less than fifteen minutes it took me to read them is just brilliant. It was absolutely well done.

Despite this being dry in some parts, it was well worth the read. Rich in historical detail, with a good mix of action, romance, and drama, I am definitely looking forward to how this series ends. This book could have been better, but the ending makes up for it in so many ways it makes it well worth the read.

I give it a 6/10

Note: Thanks to the author for providing me a copy of this book, and thanks to Tracee for letting me be part of the book tour!

Note: I greatly recommend you read The Hollow first before The Haunted.

After a summer spent reclaiming her sanity and trying to forget the boy she fell in love with–the boy who must not exist, cannot exist, because she knows that he is dead–Abbey returns to Sleepy Hollow, ready to leave the ghosts of her past behind. She throws herself into her schoolwork, her perfume-making, and her friendship with Ben, her cute and funny lab partner, who just might be her ticket to getting over Caspian once and for all. But Abbey can never get over Caspian, and Caspian has no choice but to return to her side, for Caspian is a Shade, and Abbey is his destiny. They are tied not only to each other, but also to the town of Sleepy Hollow, and to the famous legend that binds their fates–a legend whose dark truths they are only beginning to guess…. (From Amazon.ca)

*** Possible spoilers ***

Like The Hollow, this is a pretty chunky book and long. Unlike the first book though, I found the pace of this one to be more faster, perhaps because much more happens in this plot. However, although I am glad the plot is quicker and more interesting, I’m also pleased to see her writing has not changed and is still as good as The Hollow. I love the way the story is written. The town is still quaint and descriptions are still done in nice detail. It’s the writing style that really gets me into reading this book further.

What’s another great feature in this book is you get to piece together more about Kristen and the mystery guy she was going out with. There’s also a few additions of characters into the story which adds more mystery into the plot. Vincent stands out the most because not only is he a jerk but he also has a reason why he’s suddenly into the picture. Vincent also delivers a great cliffhanger in the ending which makes me just want to scream for the third book to come out right away! an evil naughty side of me thought Aubra got what she deserved. She’s such a snotty little thing so I had no sympathies for her when she came with the waterworks.

The chemistry between Caspian and Abbey is still there but I feel it has intensified into a whole new level. It’s almost like a heart wrenching romance because they’re so nice together, but yet they can’t physically be together and that just adds more drama to the romance – which I absolutely love. Now that Ben is in the picture, it adds the typical love triangle (sort of) but unlike most of them where I find I like one better than the other, I like both Ben and Caspian. Ben of course, would be the better choice, as he’s physically there.

I am really looking forward to the final installment of this trilogy. I love the writing style, the great character development and chemistry between the main couple, and with the cliffhanger ending it’s hard not to be impatient! Those that had trouble with The Hollow, keep going! this book is much better and worth the read!

I give it 9.5 out of 10.